For the 7th Congressional District: John Culberson

Culberson helped Houston after Harvey, and earned our endorsement in the Republican primary.

Copyright 2018: Houston Chronicle

February 18, 2018Updated: February 18, 2018 11:20pm

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Edward Ziegler, left, candidate for U. S. Representative District 7.

Edward Ziegler, left, candidate for U. S. Representative District 7.

Photo: Gary Fountain/For The Chronicle/Gary Fountain

For the 7th Congressional District: John Culberson

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We don't want to imagine what would have happened after Hurricane Harvey without U.S. Rep. John Culberson in Congress.

In Harvey's wake, cities from Port Aransas to Houston waited for the Trump administration to release its proposed disaster recovery bill, which mayors, county judges and families of all stripes hoped would provide the robust federal support needed to rebuild destroyed towns and keep the coast safe from the next big storm.

Luckily for Houston, Donald Trump doesn't decide how federal dollars are spent. That duty falls on Congress and, specifically, the Senate and House Appropriations Committees - which includes Culberson.

The west Houston representative worked with his Republican and Democratic colleagues to double the size of the hurricane recovery proposal, turning a failure of a bill into a passable piece of legislation. Throughout the process, Culberson was a point-man for City Hall, ensuring that areas hit by flood after flood - such as Houston - would be first in line for federal dollars.

He also advocates for the return of earmarks, which would allow Congress to direct funding instead of handing that power to the executive branch.

If you ignore the most recent term, Culberson's accomplishments for the 7th Congressional District, which covers west Houston neighborhoods from West University through the Energy Corridor, seem pretty thin. That historically weak record, combined with a district that went for Hillary Clinton in 2016, has attracted a strong group of Democratic challengers for the general election.

It should be an exciting race, and there's little reason for Republican primary voters to deny Democrats their shot at the incumbent.

Right now Culberson is being challenged by Edward Ziegler, a 67-year-old political novice and attorney with experience in the oil and gas industry. He told the editorial board that he's running because Culberson should have focused more on flood prevention rather than flood recovery.

We don't disagree. But after years of lamenting that Culberson cared more about tea party antics than Houston and Harris County, he finally stepped up and fought for the home team. That earns our primary-season endorsement.